Hami "Hydrogen City" Accelerates: 200 Units of Kunhua Heavy-Duty Trucks to Be Put into Operation in September, Coal Capital's Transformation Showcases New Strength

On August 19, the High-Quality Development Conference for the Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cell Automotive Industry was held in Hami, Xinjiang, bringing together representatives from government, enterprises, and research institutions to explore pathways for hydrogen energy transition. As the first pilot city in China to implement hydrogen production and refueling policies outside chemical industrial parks, Hami leverages its 10-million-kW wind and solar power base (new energy installed capacity accounts for 67.8%) and a 10-million-mt coal transportation corridor from Xinjiang to other regions. The city has completed Xinjiang’s first integrated electrolytic hydrogen production and refueling station, deploying 35 hydrogen-powered heavy trucks and 7 buses, establishing itself as a "bridgehead" for hydrogen energy demonstration in Northwest China.

At the conference, Zeng Jian, Deputy Secretary of the Hami Municipal Party Committee, revealed that the city is promoting industrial implementation through a "chain leader system." By 2025, it plans to deploy 732 hydrogen-powered heavy trucks, opening a "hydrogen corridor" from Naomaohu to Yizhou District, while collaborating with companies like Qingling Motors and Kunhua Technology. Qingling delivered its first batch of 49-mt customized hydrogen-powered tractors for the coal transportation corridor, and Kunhua Technology invested 150 million yuan to build Northwest China’s first production line for 2,000 fuel cell stacks, which has already commenced operations. Additionally, 200 heavy trucks equipped with Kunhua’s next-generation 215kW hydrogen fuel engines will be deployed in a batch by month-end September, marking hydrogen energy’s transition from demonstration to commercialization.

Notably, Hami’s hydrogen production cost has dropped to 20-25 yuan/kg (Naomaohu area), below the national average, laying the foundation for subsidy-free operations. Leveraging the national fuel cell vehicle demonstration city cluster policy, the local government is building a closed-loop system of "green electricity for hydrogen production—equipment manufacturing—transportation application." Shanghai Kunhua’s fuel cell stack production line and Qingling’s vehicle assembly base have been established, driving the localization of 8 core parts. By 2027, the city aims to operate 2,000 hydrogen vehicles and build 15 hydrogen refueling stations, positioning itself as a "Western Hydrogen City" connecting Central Asia.

An official from the Xinjiang Industry and Information Technology Department stated that Xinjiang will use Hami as a pivot to advance the "West-to-East Hydrogen Pipeline" and industrial decarbonization, striving to establish a green hydrogen supply chain system by 2025. This conference not only marks a milestone in Hami’s transformation from a "coal capital" but also provides an "Xinjiang model" for the low-carbon development of resource-based cities through its "scenario-driven + technology implementation" approach.